2013 Rétromobile Show: passionate people and some extraordinary Renault vehicles…

February 04, 2013 | ID: 43594

Renault will take advantage of this month’s Rétromobile Show (February 6-10) in Paris (Porte de Versailles), France, to display some of the extraordinary vehicles that have marked its history.

To kick off the model’s 20th anniversary celebrations, Renault Twingo will be under the spotlight with a display of three one-off specials, including one revisited by fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

The 2013 Rétromobile Show will also see Renault Classic announce the creation of the Fédération Française des clubs Renault et Alpine, as well as the launch of a new website, www.renaultclassic.com.

Renault will once again be particularly active at the Rétromobile Show in Paris, France (February 6-10) based onthe theme of "Passionate People and Extraordinary Vehicles". The exceptional vehicles on display will enable visitors to look back at the French make’s 115-year history, with exhibits including three Renault Twingo specials as part of the model’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

The show will also provide Renault with an opportunity to highlight the ties it enjoys with its owner clubs with the official launch of the www.renaultclassic.com website, which has been online since last November, plus that of thenew Fédération Française des Clubs Renault et Alpine. These two projects are the fruit of close consultation with the clubs in 2011 and 2012.

Visitors to Renault Classic’s 700-square metre stand will be able to admire the following vehicles:

Three Renault Twingo specials: ‘Lecoq’ and ‘Coupe’ versions, plus fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’ take on the model.

11 vehicles, including some loaned by clubs, which tell a special story or which are particularly rare, from the Victoria Rothschild of 1913 and a V8 Alpine A220, to a 1913 road sweeper, a 1937 Nerva Grand Sport and the RS01 Formula 1 car.

Creation of the Fédération Française des Clubs Renault et Alpine

Following talks with some 50 representative European clubs, it has been decided to extend the idea of national federations for Renault and Alpine clubs in order to streamline their relationships not only with Renault, but also with each other.

Based on similar organisations in Germany (D’ARC) and the Netherlands (SAeRIN), the Fédération Française des Clubs Renault et Alpine (FCRA) will be officially launched at the 2013 Rétromobile Show.

The chief aim of the Fédération Française des clubs Renault et Alpine is to streamline communications and to promote synergies between Renault and its fans, as well as between Renault and Alpine enthusiasts themselves.

This federation’s member clubs will benefit from a flexible structure with a permanent office which is respectful of the existing organisation. Membership is free and clubs will benefit from Renault’s support and exchanges with other national federations. The supervisory board will include Renault representatives to ensure that feedback from clubs is channelled more easily to Renault. It will also guarantee a more efficient flow of information from Renault to the clubs.

Clubs will be able to organise joint operations and take part in events restricted to federation members. A newsletter will be introduced

5 – Support in the form of resources for the main event organised by each club.

Vehicles on display on the Renault Classic stand

Renault Twingo ‘Lecoq’ (1995): This luxury version ofTwingo is the work of the prestigious coachbuilder André Lecoq, a man of passion and an admirer of Renault. This one-off Twingo is his way of paying tribute to the brand and takes its inspiration from the celebrated make Bugatti.

Renault Twingo Coupe (1995): This coupe version of Twingo was produced by the equally passionate Christian Contzen. Different prototypes were made with either 1.6 135hp or 2.0 150hp engines, including the blue car on display.

Presidential Renault Twingo (2012): During the build-up tolast year’s presidential elections in France, the fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac produced a “republican artist’s” take on Twingo, imagining it as a presidential car, adorned with the gold of La République. The result gives democratic motoring an entirely new meaning!

Renault Nerva Grand Sport (1937): In 1937, theNerva Grand Sport was one of the last big Renaults to be produced before the outbreak of World War Two. The car on display has just been restored and is one of the few surviving examples.

Six-wheel Renault Type MH (1924): Renault introduced this six-wheeler at the beginning of the 1920s with a view to crossing the Sahara Desert and thereby facilitating communications between Algeria and French West Africa. It paved the way for the African expeditions that were organised between 1923 and 1925.

Renault Type DM road sweeper (1913): This surprising Renault road sweeper dates back to 1913 and is a precursor of today’s modern urban street cleaning vehicles.

Renault Type DG Victoria Rothschild (1913): Built on a 1913 chassis, this Rothschild-bodied car was made for the Egyptian dignitary Abou Shanab Fadah.

Renault Frégate Limousine (1957): This unique Renault Frégate was converted into an extended limousine for Général De Gaulle. Although it never formed part of the official presidential fleet, it was still employed for the transport of VIPs, including Général Eisenhower during a visit to Paris.

Renault RS01 Formula 1 car (1978): This car was the first to be raced by Renault in the Formula 1 World Championship. It would revolutionise the world of F1 by introducing turbo technology and paved the way for Renault’s 11 world titles.

Renault 8 ‘Landon’ (1963): In the spring of1963, Renault decided to market a sporty derivative of the Renault 8. The brief for this car essentially concerned its top speed (“at least 155kph”), plus the need to keep additional costs to a minimum. The prototype produced by François Landon and his team was turned down in favour of the version developed by Amédée Gordini.

Alpine-Renault A110*: This is one of the five cars that contested the recent Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. They were entered for the event by Renault Classic Team to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Alpine-Renault’s historic one-two-three finish on the 1973 Monte-Carlo, as well as to mark the revival of the Alpine brand which was officially announced on November 5, 2012.

Renault 4CV 1063 (1952): This car comes from a privately-owned collection. Only 80 R1063s were ever produced and this sporty version of the 4CV is the sole surviving example of the cars that were prepared by the factory competitions department. It raced at Le Mans in 1952 and 1953, contested the 1953 Rallye Monte-Carlo, finished third on the 1954 Mille Miglia and was second on the Liège-Rome-Liège.

Renault Alliance Cabriolet (1986): This car, which also comes from a privately-owned collection, was made in the USA. Its former owner nicknamed it ‘Eddie’ and asked for it not to end its life as scrap. It was shipped to Europe from California in June 2009 and type approved in July 2010. ‘Eddie’ still features the specific equipment that was necessary to comply with American legislation.

Alpine Renault A220: This outstanding A220 is another car that belongs to a private collection. It is one of the only two surviving V8-engined prototypes developed by Alpine for endurance racing in the 1960s.

* In addition to the strong showings of the Team Renault Classic cars, other Alpines secured enviable results on the 16th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, including a resounding triumph for the brand thanks to outright winners Gérard Brianti/Sébastien Chol (Group 4 Alpine A110 1800) and second-placed Jean-Pierre Coppola/Olivier Sussiot (four-cylinder Alpine A310). Alpine’s one-two finish in the Principality couldn’t have been better timed since it comes just months after the announcement of the brand’s revival.